When a player like Maxim Chudinov becomes available, as he did yesterday upon being terminated by the KHL’s Avangard Omsk, it always raises some intriguing questions. What if the 2010 Boston Bruins draft selection had attempted to make it to the NHL earlier in his career? Better yet, after a long and successful career overseas, what if he finally decided to join the Bruins after all these years? Chudinov is not alone either; a number of European NHL draft picks never venture to North America and their rights are held in perpetuity by their drafting team. What could have been if these players had made a different decision in their careers? And could they still make the jump long after being drafted?
Though the list is long, the 31-year-old Chudinov is actually one of the most interesting players in this group. He has long been one of the more dependable stay-at-home defenders in Russia, in the KHL and on the international stage. In 571 games in the KHL, Chudinov has recorded 198 points, a +75 rating, and 545 PIM. Even though his offense has fallen off in recent years, it would be fascinating to see the veteran defenseman try his hand in the NHL.
Perhaps the most intriguing case though is 38-year-old Vasili Koshechkin (TBL).Though extremely unlikely to jump to the NHL at this point, the veteran goaltender is still at the top of his game. One of the best goalies in the KHL for the entirety of his 13-year career as a starter, Koshechkin has a stunning .928 save percentage and 2.08 GAA in 570 career games, with absolutely no fall-off despite his advanced age. The Lightning may be set in net now, but its fascinating to think what the decorated keeper could have done in the NHL in his prime, surely outplaying his eighth-round status.
Other standouts on the list include Swiss forward Julian Walker (MIN), a physical power forward who has accumulated 214 points and 655 PIM in 701 career games in the NLA and at 34 may still have gas in the tank. Defenseman Mikhail Pashnin (NYR) is another interesting name, especially since he is 32. An effective defensive blue liner in the KHL, Pashnin has recorded 75 points and 712 PIM in 514 career games. Could the 2009 selection still join the Rangers at some point? Mikhail Yunkov (WSH) is another active KHLer with good career numbers. The 35-year-old has 139 points in 542 games, including 11 in 52 this year.
Other reserve list players who remain active in Europe long after they were drafted into the NHL include Yuri Trubachev (CGY), Sergei Gimayev (OTT), Kirill Lyamin (OTT), and Dmitry Megalinsky (OTT) in the KHL, Victor Bobrov (ARI) and Igor Ignatushkin (WSH) in the VHL, Anton Kyrsanov (ARI) in Ukraine, Dmitri Pestunov (ARI) in Belarus, Evgeny Skachkov (STL) in Romania, and Andrei Pervyshin (STL) in Turkey.
The odds of any of these players, all aged 30 and above, playing in the NHL are slim to none, even if some like Chudinov or Pashnin may even have the ability to do so. It is still fascinating to think that they all remain NHL property and to imagine what their careers may have been like had they decided to make the jump to North America and, against all odds, to think about an established veteran finally making good on his NHL selection.
Trying to figure out the rules. Are all draft picks like this? They are property of the drafting forever? So Power will belong to the Sabres until he is signed? Can they trade his rights? If so what would a guy like him be worth say he plays out his remaining eligibility? If he doesn’t want to go to Buffalo can he play for a Minor league team as an independent and tell them he won’t sign unless traded? I know it is a lot of questions I like to be a bit knowledgeable on these things. Thanks
I think it’s just KHL picks, if I remember correctly, based off the lack of a tranfer agreement between the two leagues.
There is a difference between European draft rights and NA draft rights.
For example, Adam Fox came out and said he wouldn’t sign with Calgary after he finished his NCAA eligibility, so they traded his rights to Carolina, and he then came out and said he would only sign with NYR so they traded his rights to them. But all those European players rights remain with their original drafting teams. Not sure how it works, but there is something in those rules.
Khl picks are the only ones that teams hold onto forever all other players drafted from other leagues have deadlines to sign them by. If you want to know more I recommend Capfriendly.com.
Is Artyom Kryukov still playing? The Sabres still own his signing rights; maybe he could fix them.
Once the KHL started paying out bigger salaries when the Oligarchs took over the league, fewer Russians left. What surprises me is this article is not addressing the younger players that have been drafted that are remaining in Russia for the time being. Another issue that affected this was the time period before the rise of the KHL when so many Russians did come but many didn’t get out of the AHL. They all had visions of immediately going to their NHL team
Thanks all it seems the drafting process is as confusing as MLB and NFL. All have their own little quirks to them. Neither of them have anything in place that keeps them locked to a certain team. I will look on capfriendly didn’t try it because didn’t think it would answer my question. I look at it but since I understand the drafts don’t dig into that side.